In an interview with Pakistan’s largest daily, Dawn, Nawaz Sharif said, “Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai?”

New Delhi: In what could further damage the dynamics of Indo-Pak relations, former Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif made an explosive admission that Pakistan allowed its terrorists to cross the border to carry out the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in which over 150 people were killed and more than 300 injured.

In an interview with Pakistan’s largest daily, Dawn, Sharif said, “Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai?”

This is the first time Sharif has publicly acknowledged that militant organisations are active in the country and questioned the policy to allow the "non-state actors" to cross the border and "kill" people in Mumbai, a media report said.

"We have isolated ourselves. Despite giving sacrifices, our narrative is not being accepted. Afghanistan's narrative is being accepted, but ours is not. We must look into it, Sharif told Dawn.

Sharif, who was ousted after being found guilty of corruption, also questioned why Pakistan has not yet completed trial in the 26/11 case.

“Explain it to me. Why can’t we complete the trial?” Nawaz said in the interview, making a reference to the Mumbai attacks-related trials, which have been stalled in a Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court.

He further added, "It's absolutely unacceptable (to allow non-state actors to cross the border and commit terrorism there). President (Vladimir) Putin has said it. President Xi (Jinping) has said it."

Pakistan has so far not completed trial in the 26/11 case. It has also allowed the mastermind Hafiz Saeed to roam free, despite him being a designated international terrorist.

On November 26, 2008 10 heavily-armed Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists forced their way into the city of Mumbai and carried out a coordinated attack over three days.

Known as 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the assault on the financial capital of India lasted until November 29.

Sharif, 68, was disqualified by the Supreme Court for not being "honest and righteous" as he failed to declare in 2013 a salary he got from the company of his son in the UAE. In February, the apex court also disqualified Sharif as the head of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

On November 26, 2008, 10 heavily-armed Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists forced their way into the city of Mumbai and carried out a coordinated attack.

Known as 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the assault on the financial capital of India lasted until November 29.

Catch the biggest newsmakers and the biggest newsbreaks on CNN-News18, the only news destination. Keep watching CNN-News18 at just 50 paise per month. Contact your cable/DTH operator now!